Fusee construction.



v PATENTED JULY 25, 1905. W. E. MATTHEW.

FUSEE CONSTRUCTION. APPLIOATIOK FILED JULY 13.1904.-

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5 1 man toz PATENTED JULY 25, 1905.

W. E. MATTHEW.

FUSEE CONSTRUCTION. APPLIOATION rum) JULY 13,1904.

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9- 795,632- PATENTED JULY 25, 1905. W. E. MATTHEW.

FUSEE CONSTRUCTION. APrLwATioH FILED JULY 13,1904.

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WILLIAM E. MATTHEW, 0F BUUYRUS, oino.

Fuses consrnnorun. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905.

Application filed July 13, 1904. Slerial H0. 216,430.

To G/ZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. MAT- 'rnnw, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bucyrus, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fusee Construction; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the vide simple though reliably efiicient means for housing or inclosing the light-forming material whereby such material will be sheltered and completely protected against moisture and particularly against the passage of moisture into-the joint or section of juncture of the cap and the body portion of the housing.

Other objects will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, together with advantages arising therefrom, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 shows my improved fusee complete ready for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the upper end thereof, the material to be burned being removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the closure or lid section in a partlyfinishedcondition and showing the terminal cap ready to be dropped (.own into position upon the end of the clo sure proper. Fig. 4 is a-perspective view of that part illustrated in Fig.3, showing the terminal cap in place, as by dotted lines, and

also showing the Waterproof material brought around in position to overlap itself. Fig. 5 shows one form of blank from which my waterproof closure is formed- Big. 8 is a similar View to that presented in Fig. 5, illustrating a slightly-modiiied form and showing the closure-body. proper as partly formed and ready to cooperate with the waterproof ,terminal thereof. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the parts shown in l ig. 6 disposed in a morecompleted position. 8 is a detail perspective viewof the upper end of my fusee, showing the waterproof material severed, as by twisting the same; and Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views showing a different means for separating the waterproof material previous to removing the closure or lid section. I

For convenience of reference to the various parts of my invention and accessories cooperating therewithdesignating-numerals will be employed, and,-referring to the numerals on the drawings,-1 indicates the main or body portion of my fusee, which consists of a prefera'bly-tubular casing formed of any preferred material, as paper, the lower end thereof having a metallic insert or member 2, provided with an anchoring-spearor sharpened extension 3, adapted to take into an object, as across-tie, or the ground, whereby the fus'ee maybe thrown and left standing in an upright position, as is commonwith signaling devices of this character.

The interior of the section 1 is filled with two or more varieties of compounds so proportioned that a light of one particular color will burn aspecified'time or until a compound of a different color is reached, when a light of a difi'erent color will burn a specified time I that is to say, the compounds may be so regulated and proportioned that, for instance, a red light will be shown for five minutes and then a green light for the next five minlutes, whereby trains may be held a-certain distance apart, as desired. However, the arrange-- ment or proportions of the compound contained within the section l form no part of this application, inasmuch as it is my intention to file a subsequent application covering these features. It becomes desirable, therefore, to provide a suitable closure for the upper open end of the body-section which shall be absolutely waterproof in character, and I therefore call attention to the form of closure-body as indicated by the numeral 4, which, as will be observed, is formed by winding a strip of paper of proper width and length upon itself in a well-known manner, whereby a closure having a wall of sufiicient thickness corresponding to the wall of the body portion 1 will be produced. It will be understood that the wall of the closure may be formed in any of the well-known ways of producing tubing of paper or other material thatmay be adopted, and I therefore deem Lit-unnecessary to go' into detail in respect thereto. Suf

free it to say that the said body portion of the closure a may be formed of a continnons strip of paper, as indicated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings and designated by the numeral 5 in said views, said strip being wound upon itself and secured together until a wall of proper thickness is provided. After the closure-section 4 is formed in the manner above set forth or in any preferred way I attach to the end of the strip 5 the edge of the finished member 6, which latter consists of waterproof material, as paraffin paper or the equivalent thereof, the edges of the members 5 and 6 being joined together in any preferred way, as by employing any suitable adhesive material interposed between the meeting edges thereof. It is therefore obvious that vafter the parts 5 and 6 have been connected together the said member 6 may be extended snugly around the body portion of the closure 4, and the extreme outer edge of the.

member 6 will overlap itself and may be secured by suitable adhesive material.

It will be seen that the waterproofing member 6 is of greater width than the strip 5, and it therefore follows that the waterproofing material will project beyond both ends of the closure 4, a valuable and important desideratum, inasmuch as I utilize the extended edges of the member 6.to attain a more perfect in- 1 sulation or protection of the parts covered thereby, inasmuch as the lower edge of the member 6 is designed to be secured (as by the use of adhesive material) into direct engagement with a continuous part of the body portion 1, while its upper edge is designed to be folded down directly upon the upper end of r the closure member 4, it being understood that said closure is provided with a permanent closure or cap 7, having a flange 8 designed to fit within the open end of the closure 4, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. The permanent cap 7 is commonly designated a striker, its ofiice being hereinafter clearly set forth. The outer surface of the capv 7 is provided with a coating of igniting substance, as indicated by the numeral 9, the said igniting substance being of, such character as to have an afiinity for a special form of match inserted in the contents of the body portion 1, whereby when the outer surface of the cap 9 is brought into frictional contact with said natch it will cause a perfect ignition of the iubstance, thus obviating the necessity of the :mployment of any other means to accomplish be same result- It therefore becomes deairable to provide protection for the igniting :ubstance 9 upon the cap 7; and with this )UJ'POSB in view I provide the auxiliary cap or ihield 10, designed to fit snugly over the clo- .ure-body 4, and the cap 7 entered in the end hereof, all of which is fully illustrated in Fig. 2. The auxiliary cap or guard 10 may I8 cheaply formed of paper or other preferred gaterial, and after it has been disposed 'ver the striker 7 the extended edges of the later-proof member 6 may be folded down slipped off the end of the body portion 1, y when by opening the folded sections 11 the cap 10 may be removed, thereby exposing the igniting substance 9 upon the permanent closure or striker 7, when by reversing the position of the closure 4 and rubbing the igniting substance 9 upon the striker-match in the end of the body portion 1, left exposed by the removal of the closure 4, the combustible material will be ignited and the signalingtoreh be disposed in a condition ready'to be applied to use, as by throwing the same, so that the anchoring-stem 3 will take into a cross-tie or into the surface of the ground con- I tiguous to the trackway, as is common;

It will be understood that the waterproof member 6 may consist of a separate piece of proper material, or it may consist of anintegral part of the strip 5, and when made integral with the part 5 only the member 6 need be'dipped in the solution, which will coat it with paraffin'or other waterproof substance.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the member 6 as separately formed from the member 5, a reduced portion or neck 13 being --formed upon the strip 5, the edge of the neck and contiguous part of the member 6 being secured together,

as before stated, by suitable adhesive material.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown the members 5 and 6 as being integrally formed, in which case it will only be necessary "to make the member 6 of greater width than the strip-5 and dip said member 6 in waterproofing material, and I- therefore reserve the right'to fashion the parts in either way which I may find most desirable and effective in practice.

I also form a recess, as indicated by the numeral 14, the object of said recess being to permit the cap-section 10 to be disposed upon the upper end of the closure-body 4 and its permanent cap or striker 7, inasmuch as if said notch or recess was not provided the edge of the cap 10 would engage and tear a contiguouspart of the edge of the paper strip or neck 13.

Obviously the folded portion 11 may be additionally secured by use of adhesive material applied to proper parts thereof.

Inasmuch asit is highly important that the combustible contents of the body portion 1 shall be kept safely sheltered and protected against all moisture, whereby the device. now

' fully appreciated. 4 Since my waterproof clotecting the signaling or lighting compound and at the same time removing the auxiliary at the same time remove the auxiliary cap 10,

the end thereof, said closure having an invsaesz widely relied upon and used as a railway-sig- I nal will at all times be found efficient, the value of my waterproof housing will be more sure for the end of the body portion 1 completely envelops said end, the signal thus reinforced and shielded may be relied upon even during a rain-storm, when a device not so protected would soon become unreliable and worthless.

it will be found that-my method of prowill in no wise interfere with an instant use thereof, inasmuch as the closure t may be readily twisted off the end of the body portion 1, when the folded portion 11 may be torn away to expose the surfacepf the striker-cap, thus placing it in readiness to be instantly applied to the striker-match carried by the compound within said body portion.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a different means of removing the waterproof material cap or shield 10 from the end of the closurebody 4:: in this instance I attach one end of a tape 15 to the closure-body 4 near the upper" end thereof, after which the tape is disposed across the striker .7 and thence broughtdown the side of the closure 4, said tape being of suficient length to extend beyond the lower edge of the waterproof material 6, as best shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings.- After the tape has been thus placed the auxiliary cap 10 is placed in position over the striker 7 and the tape thereon and the waterproof material then placed in position, as before described. When it is desired to remove the waterproof material, whereby the closure 4: may be removed from the upper end of the body portion 1, the protruding end of the tape 15 is grasped and an upward pull given which will sever thewaterproof material andas shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description it will be obviousthat I have provided an absolutely reliable safeguard which will insure that the compound within a signaling-torch will be shielded against deterioration from moisture or exposure to the atmosphere, and while I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts I wish to comprehend such substantial equivalents and substitutes as may be regarded as falling fairly within the scope of my invention.

Believing that the manner of applying my invention to use and advantages have been made clearly apparent; further description is deemed unnecessary.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is s 1 A light or signaling-torch comprising a main or body portion; a closure 4 fittingover closing member 6 of waterproof material secured thereto and extending beyond each end thereof whereby the inner edge of the waterproof member may be permanently secured to acontiguous part of the body. portion,\vhile its outer edge is folded down to wholly inclose the end of said closure and a protectingcover 10, all combined substantially as specilied and for the purpose set forth.

2; A signaling-torch comprising a tubular body. portion for receiving light-producing material of any desired color or colors, having upon one end means to anchor the same in an upright position and a closure for the opposite end, said closure having an outer covering of waterproof material extending beyond the ends of the closure whereby one of said ends may be secured to a contiguous part of the body portion while the opposite end may be twisted to form a covering or complete inclosure for the end of the cover, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A torch comprising a tubular body portion adapted to carry light-producing material or materials, and having at one end an anchoring device to hold it in an upright position, and also havlng a closure, said closure fitting the end of the body portion and having an exterior casing of waterproof material and of suificient length to reach beyond both ends of the closure whereby one of the extended ends of the covering may be permanently secured to a contiguous partof the body portion while the other extended end may be folded down to completely inclose the' cover and thereby hold said parts housed against admission of moisture into the portion, substantially as set forth. p 4:. A signaling-torch comprising a body portion adapted to carry-combustible material for producing a light or lights of the desired color and having an anchoring device at one end and a closure for the other end, said closure consisting of a cap-like member to fit the end of the body portion and provided with a waterproofcoating consisting of a strip of waterproof material of greater width-than the length of the closure whereby one edge may be permanently secured to a contiguous part of the body when the closure is placed in position thereon while the other'edge may be folded down upon the end of the closure and thereby protect the contents of the body portion against the admission of moisture, substantially as set forth.

5. In a signaling-torch, a body portion having an anchoring device at one end and open at the oppositeend; a lid-section adapted to inclose the open end of said body, in combination with a covering of waterproof material carried by the lid-section and extending beyond the ends thereof; a tape extending oi er the end of the lid-section and having its other end exposed below the edge of the waterproof material whereby, when said edge is secured to the body portion by adhesive substance or body the like, a pull upon the end of the tape will sever the waterproof covering and permit the lid to. be removed, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

6.- A signaling-torch, comprising a tubular body and means to anchor the same in an up right position, inhcombination with a lid-section adapted to inclose the upper open end of the body portion; a covering of waterproof material carried by and made a part of the did-section, the ends of said waterproof material extending beyond both ends of the lid section whereby one of the protruding ends WILLIAM E. MATTHEW.

Witnesses:

H. MYERS, .C. L. BUCK. 

